Nurse&#39;s bag



NURSES BAG Filed March 27, 1950 BY W 77M ww ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1953 NURSES BAG Eliza Hazel Highee, Richmond, and Lona Gladys Girton, Orange, Va., assignors to Remington Rand Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application March 27, 1950, Serial No. 152,056

are arranged in an orderly manner so as to bee instantly available when needed.

It is therefore, the chief purpose of our invention to provide a kit or bag adapted to readily fit Within and be carried by a carrying case such as a brief case.

More specifically, it is a purpose cf the invention to provide a kit or bag which can be quickly connected with or detached from a carrying case such as a brief case, whereby the necessary ar- I ticles and instruments required by public health nurses may be carried in a dignied and inconspicuous manner while at the same time being readily available for use and amply protected against loss and breakage.

A still further object is the provision of a cornbined carrying case and kit or bag wherein various types of bags, that is, bags equipped with different types or collections of articles and instruments, may be readily substituted in one and the same carrying case.

Still another object is the provision of a bag which may be easily detached from its carrying case for use independently thereof within the home or clinic, and as readily attached to or i,

inserted in the extended carrying case.

Still another object is the provision of a bag which While detachable may be readily opened and used without detachment or removal of the bag from the carrying case.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent after a study of the following description in connection with the drawing wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View of a carrying case Within which the kit forming the subject of our invention may be carried.

Figure 2 is a plan View showing the case in open position, the kit itself being closed.

Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 but showing the kit opened and ready for use.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the kit prior to insertion in the carrying case.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional View to an enlarged scale, taken upon the line 5-5 of Figure 2.

3 Claims. (Cl. 150-34) Figure 6 is a detail View of a modied construction for securing the kit in position Within its carrying case, and

Figure 7 isa detail sectional view to an enlarged scale, taken in a plane indicated by the line 'I--l of Figure 6.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I identies generally a carrying case which may be of leather or other suitable Wear resisting flexible material. The case comprises two halves 2 and 3 rectangular in outline forming cover sections having a flexible hinged section indicated at 4 connecting cover sections 2 and 3 along one of their longer sides. The halves are provided along their remaining three sides With slide fastener means 5 whereby they may be secured together to form an enclosure for the kit. Carrying handles 6 are shown as of the disappearing type. The half 2 may have flaps 'I provided with edges or slits 8 and 9 adjacent each end and parallel with the shorter sides of the case. Alternatively, the half 2 may have merely two strips of lining material secured across its ends. As shown upon Figure 2, half 3 of the case may have standard pockets and/or a card index I0 of standard construction to accommodate any size nursing record desired and secured in position by snap fasteners II whereby different les may be easily substituted as occasion may require.

The kit or bag is identified generally by the numeral i2 and comprises a rst or box-like section I3 and a second or cover section Id. Boxlike section I3 has a bottom portion of substantially rectangular shape as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The bottom portion has a side Wall on the free longer side and end Walls on opposite ends extending laterally therefrom to engage cover section I4 in closed position. The two sections are hinged together along one of their longer sides by means of a back portion connecting the bottom portion to cover section I4, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. From Figures 2 and 3 it will be noted that the kit or bag has external length and breadth dimensions a little less than case I so as to fit therein with ample clearance. From Figure 5 it Will be noted that the kit has a depth a little less than the inside depth dimension of case I and that section I 4 has a length greater than the corresponding dimension of section I3 so as to form equal projections Ida and |417 at the two ends of the kit. A strap I5 is secured at one end to section I4 and has a snap fastener at the other end detachably engaged with the complemental fastener portion on the free marginal portion of the bottom portion of leather, thin breboard or plywood, or sheeti metal. The material from which cover section Id is made should have a degree of flexibility or resiliency in order to enable its:easynser.tionin and removal from edges or slits 'rand 9.-,- Alternatively the end or iiap portions-|fla-and Mb only may be of flexible material and secured to the main or central portion ofthe cover.

A strap of leather or fabric 21 is either sewed,-

or secured with guideways or clamps (notshown) allowing for adjustments, to cover section I4 at intervals suitable to hold and retain articles or instruments which the user may recuiire.Y Thus, by way of example, the articles from top to bottom as viewed in Figure 3 are shown as a bottle I6 for alcohol, with glass stopper and plastic cap, a plastic container I'I for sterilized cotton, a plasticcontainer I8 for tonguedepressors and applicators, a tube I9 of shaving soap and a packet of folded towels 20. Box section I3, as viewed in Figure 3 has secured at its top a bag 2I containing an apron and a strap 22 secured at intervals to the bottom of the sectionA to accommodate a pair of bandaging scissors 23, ababy-weighing scales 24, and mouth and rectal thermometer cases 25 and 26. Other arrangements and articles may be usedA to suit special conditions -or requirements of the user.

In Figures 6 and '7 we have shown a modiiied form of the invention wherein the ends of flaps of cover section I4 are secured inv place to end pieces 'I' of the case, by means ofscrews. Thus, the ends of section I4 may have a pair of hollow sleeves 29 flanged at one end and internally threadedl to receive amachinescrew 28. In applying the bag or kit to'a case 2', the ends of cover I4 are inserted beneathv the strips 'I' in the usual manner, until two holes in the strip engage over the respective sleeves 29. Screws 28 are then inserted to securely hold the kit in position. It will be appreciated that both ends of cover I4 are held in position by screws as described or by snapfasteners, not shown.

In use, the nurse who is aboutto start out on scheduled visits loads or` packs her kit with the articles she expects to need, substantially as shown, and closes and secures cover or lid I4 by fastener I5. End flanges I4a and Mb maybe inserted beneath the end strips I of case I before or after the bag is packed. The case is now closed as by its slide fastener and is then ready for use. Under ordinary conditions, no other equipment is needed by the nurse and she has, in a single easily portable container, a nursing bag or kit, calendar, map and necessarynote book information. When making a visit, the nurse .may open lthe parts to the position shown in Figure 3, whereupon allthe articles carried are instantly available for use. Or, the bag'may be removed from the case and used independently thereof. As shown upon Figure 2, by closing section I3 over onto cover I4, index file I is instantly available.

The bag I2 mayfalso be formed of an outer leather covering, with a lining of flexible material which will be both water and alcohol proof. The lining may. also be ,providedwith slits to receive the anges I4a and I4b, if desired. Moreover, if desired, flanges I4a and I4b may be attached to bottom I3 instead of to cover I4 as shown. The space back of the kit may be used for newspapers.

It will therefore be seen that we have invented a combined carrying case andnurses bag which is versatile in use and which at all times affords in readily convenient and quickly available postion all of the equipment which a public health nurse ordinarily requires.

Also bag I2 may be used for cosmetics or shaving equipmentwith half 3 of case I to carry overnight articles.l

Whle-wehave disclosed a preferred form of our inventionas now known to us, modifications and substitutions of equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a study of the present description. Hence we do not Wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown; and we reserve all such modifications as fall withinthe scope of the subjoined claims. The disclosure is to be taken strictly in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense.

Having now fully disclosed the invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. A supply unit particularly for carrying clinical supplies comprising in combination a case having two rectangular sections; a hinge'section connecting one side of each of said sections whereby said case will be fiat when opened; closure means on at least one of the remaining three sides; index card holding means on the inner side of a first of saidsections; means for removably securing said card holding means to said first section; a rectangular supply holder housed in the second section comprising two parts adapted to internally carry suitable supplies for the unit; a back portion hingedly connecting said two parts to permit the parts to lie flat when opened, said holder when opened being of such dimensions relative to said case to extend substantially over the area of the two sections of the opened case to expose internally carried supplies for ready selection and use; means for securing the two parts of said holder in closed position housed within said second section, whereby to fully expose said index; and means for removably securing said holder within said second section.

2. A supply unit particularly for carrying clinical supplies comprising in combination a case having two rectangular sections; a hinge section connecting one side of each of said sections whereby said case will be flat when opened; closure means on at least one of the remaining three sides; an index housed within a first of said seotions; means for removably securing said index within said first section; a rectangular supply holder housed in the second section comprising two parts adapted to internally carry suitable supplies for the unit; a back portion hingedly connecting said two parts to permit the parts to lie flat when opened, said holder when opened being of such dimensions relative to said case to extend substantially over the area of the two sections of the opened case to expose internally carried supplies for ready selection and use; means for securing the two parts of said holder in closed position housed within said second section, whereby to fully expose said index; and means for removably securing said holder within said second section, comprising a yieldable flange extending on each of two opposite sides of one part .of said .holder and cooperating xed flaps on the inner face of said second section beneath which said flanges are forced, to positively lhold said holder in position within said second section.

3. A carrying case comprising an outer case formed of a pair of opposed sections hingedly connected along one margin, said sections being movable between closed and an open position wherein the sections may be supported in fiat coplanar relation, means securing said sections in closed position, a supporting iiap on one of said sections carried on one of the inside margins of said section, an inner case formed of opposed sections hingedly connected along the margin adjacent the hinged connection of the outer case sections in substantially parallel relation, one of said inner case sections lying against the inner face of said one of said outer case sections and the marginal portions of both inner case sections terminating inwardly of the corresponding margins of the outer case sections, flange means on said one inner case section detaohably secured to said supporting Hap on said one outer case section, detachably securing said inner case to said one outer case section for movement of the other of said inner case sections from closed position against said one inner case section and the adjacent outer case section into open substantially coplanar relation over both open outer case sections, providing access to the contents of said inner case in open position; and a separate carrying unit mounted on said other of said outer case sections accessible in the open position of said outer case while said inner case has its sections in substantially closed position.

ELIZA HAZEL HIGBEE.

LONA GLADYS GIRTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 831,772 Campbell Sept. 25, 1906 1,798,119 Garlock Mar. 24, 1931 1,806,246 Feldman et a1 May 19, 1931 2,053,630 Plotkin Sept. 8, 1936 2,167,926 Glasker Aug. 1, 1939 2,173,120 Lifton Sept. 19, 1939 2,321,807 Glckrnan June 15, 1943 2,331,428 Selezneff Oct. 12, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 21,502 Great Britain Sept. 29, 1911 296,261 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1928 

